A study into the effectiveness of child labour remediation activities implemented by Tony’s Open Chain and partner cooperatives at the household level
The Tony’s Open Chain CLMRS The Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS), initiated by the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour 1 , and later adapted for the cocoa industry by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) 2 and Nestlé, is a critical tool for identifying cases of child labour and providing remediation, with the goal of aligning with national systems for a comprehensive approach to child protection. Together with partner cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, Tony’s Open Chain is implementing a CLMRS, with a key focus on normative change and awareness-raising to ensure systemic changes in attitudes towards child labour.
Annually
2.
1.
Household visits
3.
Selection of community facilitators
Child labour identification
child labour monitoring and remediation system
5.
4.
Follow-up visits and case closure
Individual remediation activities
3 months and 6 months after remediation activities, thereafter annual monitoring
9-18 months for the majority of cases but up to 2 years or more when cases are complex
Study objectives and methodology In 2024, in an effort to continuously learn and improve our ways of working, Tony’s Open Chain commissioned two studies, one in Côte d’Ivoire and one in Ghana, to help identify which types of remediation of child labour cases have proven to be the most effective. The objectives of the study were to: 1. Understand partner cooperatives’ approaches to remediation. 2. Assess the budgets, remediation plans and effectiveness of various remediation activities in terms of cost, reach and sustainability. 3. Provide actionable recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of child labour remediation efforts. 4. Enable partner cooperatives, Tony’s Open Chain and the wider industry to make more informed decisions on remediation spending and implementation.
1. International Labour Organization. The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). Accessed 27 Oct. 2025. 2. International Cocoa Initiative. ICI Cocoa Initiative. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
In Côte d’Ivoire the study was carried out by Inputs Africa, and in Ghana, it was carried out by Participatory Development Associates. The studies used a mixed methods approach, combining desk research, quantitative and qualitative techniques in rural areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Participants were sampled from farming households in the cocoa communities of 6 of Tony’s Open Chain’s partner cooperatives (three in Côte d’Ivoire and three in Ghana) and responded to two criteria: they had previously received remediation support and they had been part of the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) survey carried out by Tony’s Open Chain between 2019 - 2023. 3 In total, 132 households in Côte d’Ivoire and 259 households in Ghana were surveyed 4 between June – August 2024 for this research, as well as the remediation staff, cooperatives’ partners involved in delivering remediation, and community leaders. Our research partners looked at a variety of indicators to understand and compare the effectiveness of the different types of remediation, including participant perception, cost-effectiveness, children reached and reported reduction in hazardous tasks, among others. A range of approaches were used, including: • Structured surveys with caregivers helped gather information on household characteristics, child labour identification and support given, as well as the impact of remediation activities and support on child labour. • In-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers to ascertain the households’ direct experiences with the remediation support they received, their perceptions of its effectiveness in addressing child labour, and suggestions for improving remediation efforts. • Focus group discussions were conducted with children from households that received remediation support to harness their views and experiences in the remediation process. • ICI field officers and community leaders were engaged through in-depth and key informant interviews to gather insights on remediation approaches and effectiveness and understand the cooperatives’ philosophies and approaches to remediation, successes and challenges. As the studies were carried out by two separate organisations, each with their own implementation method, the results across the two countries are not always comparable.
Study findings Study findings and lessons are presented in four parts:
1. The remediation process 2. The types of remediation carried out 3. Overall effectiveness of remediation 4. Lessons learned 1. The remediation process
Child labour is identified and remediated through a dedicated process. This process is guided by Tony’s Open Chain’s Child Labour Remediation Policy.
3. The MPI is a survey to assess household-level welfare levels among cocoa farmers. Tony’s Open Chain carried out annual household surveys between 2019 – 2023 using the MPI and other metrics, resulting in high-quality multi-year data tailored to our own supply chain. The Index of MPI was originally co-developed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at University of Oxford. We share more of our MPI findings in this public report and we make the anonymised dataset available for further analysis here. 4. The sample size per partner cooperative is proportionate to the number of remediated households per cooperative (i.e., including more interviews at cooperatives with a higher proportion of remediated households, irrespective of the cooperative’s overall size).
Identification
Fig. 1: Ways of identifying child labour (Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana)
To identify cases of child labour, Community Facilitators 5 visit households annually to have conversations in a safe setting about what kind of activities children are allowed and not allowed to do, and why. A survey is carried out and the information is logged into the CLMRS application. On top of annual visits, Community Facilitators also undertake unannounced farm visits as an extra check. The studies found that the most common method for identifying child labour cases across all partner cooperatives was through household visits by partner cooperative staff or community facilitators, accounting for the vast majority of cases identified (76% across all 6 cooperatives). Farm visits were the second most common method, accounting for 20%, followed by other methods (4%), such as community member reports and child self-reporting. Further analysis on this topic will be carried out in the future.
4%
20%
76%
Household visit
Other
Field visit
Carrying heavy loads was the most common hazardous activity for children identified in child labour, representing 70% of cases in Côte d’Ivoire and 77% Ghana. At home or in the field, these children were identified to be helping their parents carry harvested cocoa and carry water when the water source was far away. Across both countries, working long hours (45%), using sharp tools (25%) and clearing land (22%) were also common activities. When child labour is identified, the Community Facilitator immediately discusses the situation with the household to determine necessary remediation actions. The family also receives targeted awareness-raising support.
Fig. 2: Hazardous activities carried out by children in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana (%)
9
Engaged in work that interferes with schooling
Burning fields
1
Clearing lands or felling trees
22
Using agro-chemicals
2
Using sharp tools
25
Working long hours (2 hours or more)
45
Carrying heavy loads
73
5. Community Facilitators are hired by the cooperative. They are responsible for conducting annual household visits to discuss child labour activities (based on national legislation and in line with ILO standards) with families, survey all children under 18, collect data via a mobile app, proposing suitable remediation activities, based on the needs/situation of the family, and implementing these activities together with other relevant team members at the cooperative.
Needs assessment
Following the identification of child labour, a needs assessment is conducted to identify the root causes of child labour in the affected household and to determine the immediate and long-term needs of these households. This helps to design targeted interventions to address the unique needs of each affected household and to effectively address the issue of child labour long-term. Most respondents across partner cooperatives reported a positive experience with the needs assessment process. Many cocoa farmers expressed that the needs assessment process made them feel respected, involved and valued, which fostered a strong sense of belonging to their cooperative. The extent to which households felt that their needs had been considered in the final remediation activities implemented, varied. While the majority of participants in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana felt their needs had been considered, some households felt their specific needs and preferences were not adequately considered when determining the type of support they received. Although they were consulted, some felt that decisions were ultimately made for them rather than with them, a sentiment that was particularly pronounced in certain groups. In some cases, researchers found this was due to limited availability of specific support activities that households wanted to receive in certain partner cooperatives, often related to skills training. Cooperatives are responding to this by increasing the variety of support activities where possible, enabling families to choose from a broader range of activities that address their needs and preferences more directly. One cooperative in Côte d’Ivoire has created a learning unit in sewing and gastronomy where children coming from various villages can come and benefit from training, effectively diversifying its offer for vocational training. Similarly, the labour brigade support has been adapted and is being strengthened through a dedicated programme at Tony’s Open Chain. The waiting period for remediation support after identifying child labourers varied by cooperative. 55% of study participants across all cooperatives reported that they had received support within 1-3 months. 23% reported receiving support within 4-6 months, and approximately 22% reported waiting more than 7 months. These results will inform how we track and improve on the speed of our remediation support and have played a role in Tony’s Open Chain’s decision to transition from a third-party to in-house system for managing CLMRS.
Implementation
Next, remediation activities are identified and carried out to remedy the individual situation of child labour. Direct remediation activities are implemented by partner cooperatives at two levels: child and household. In addition, Tony’s Open Chain also works on community development, which is critical towards building an enabling environment in which child labour can be systematically prevented. As this is not a direct form of remediation, it is not in scope for this report.
COMMUNITY Indirect remediation
Activities and programmes that address the community to which the child and household belong. The focus is on enhancing infrastructure to create a nurturing environment for children. This includes ensuring the presence of accessible schools and healthcare facilities, and readily available water sources. Tony’s Open Chain partners with the Chocolonely Foundation (funded through 1% of Tony’s Chocolonely’s annual revenue) to improve infrastructure to support children.
Schools
Drinking water
Hospitals
HOUSEHOLD Direct remediation
Income generating activities
Wheel- barrows
CHILD
Direct remediation
Birth certificates
School kits
At the household level, the support involves equipping families with tools like
wheelbarrows and Pelle Bongos, which are safe tools used to open cocoa pods. These tools enable older children to help around the farm without the need to carry heavy loads or handle sharp tools. Families with multiple children engaged in child labour may receive support to access alternative income-generating activities, to enable them to hire labour for cocoa farming tasks rather than relying on their children.
Bikes
Support for individual children focuses on their reintegration into the education system. This includes helping them obtain birth certificates for school enrolment, providing school kits with essentials like notebooks, uniforms, shoes and bags, and supplying bicycles for those travelling long distances. Older children can access vocational training programmes where they receive training, a stipend, the equipment for their chosen trade and placement in functional literacy and numeracy classes.
2. Types of remediation activities
Fig. 3: Types of remediation support received by study participants in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana (%)
83
School kits, education or material support
70
Awareness raising on child labour
Wheelbarrow or farming equipment
34
Access to labour brigades
22
Health insurance support
20
Income-generating activities
17
Birth certificates
9
Vocational or skills training
7
School kits/educational or material support The most common remediation support provided was school kits or supplies, and bicycles (educational/material support), with 88% of households in Ghana and 78% in Côte d’Ivoire reporting receiving this type of assistance. These are given to children identified to be in child labour to improve school attendance. This includes the distribution of school uniforms, footwear, mathematical sets, school bags, exercise books, notebooks, and bicycles. Other material support includes the renewal and registration of children on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), as well as registration of birth certificates which are necessary for school enrolment in Côte d’Ivoire. Obtaining a birth certificate, though low-cost, is essential for school enrolment and taking primary exams, yet some farmers fail to register children due to negligence or because they don’t know this is required. Without certificates, children are kept at home and risk entering child labour. The partner cooperative assists by securing birth certificates so working children can resume schooling and sit for end-of-study exams. The inability to afford school materials remains a major hindrance to school attendance for many children of cocoa farmers. According to study respondents, providing supplies and bicycles not only increased children’s interest to attend school over engaging in farming activities but also improved school enrolment in the various communities. Respondents consistently reported positive outcomes associated with the educational and material support provided. Next to awareness raising, provision of school kits is the most cost-effective remediation intervention and highly effective in not only reducing child labour but also promoting children’s right to education.
“I used to weed people’s farms for money after which I gave the money to my mother to keep so we can buy some of my school needs, but when I received the things I didn’t have to work to buy those things anymore, so it indeed reduced child labour in my family.’’ (Female Child, Ghana)
Awareness-raising on child labour Awareness raising campaigns help children, parents, caregivers and communities understand the negative impacts of child labour. Awareness raising involves educating and sensitizing about the dangers and detrimental effects of child labour on children’s development, education and wellbeing. It plays both a curative and preventative role, aiming to shift attitudes and behaviours towards supporting children’s rights to education and to a healthy childhood. Awareness raising covers a range of themes, such as child protection laws, children’s rights, education, the health implications of child labour, the definitions of hazardous work and related issues of child wellbeing. Awareness raising occurs at different levels and different moments of the broader remediation process. When a case of child labour is detected, Community Facilitators always provide initial awareness-raising support, discussing concepts and impacts of child labour with the families. There is also community-level awareness raising. Public campaigns, broadcasts, posters, screenings and other media aim to build a collective understanding surrounding child labour, which can help children and adults more readily identify and remedy child labour themselves. This can lead to children being empowered to speak up for themselves and to parents making different choices regarding their children’s tasks. It can catalyse changes in the attitudes and behaviours of households towards the involvement of children in child labour activities and has been found to gradually reduce the prevalence of child labour in communities. Additionally, it can also shed light on the importance of education for children. Awareness-raising on child labour was found to be the second most prevalent remediation approach, with 75% of households in Ghana and 66% in Côte d’Ivoire participating in these activities.6 In both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, 9 in 10 respondents reported that the awareness-raising activities had a significantly positive influence on their attitudes and practices. Across all partner cooperatives, a substantial majority of respondents considered awareness-raising to be a highly effective intervention in changing attitudes and practices related to child labour. The partner cooperatives’ multi-stakeholder approach, combined with context-specific messaging and continuous engagement, has contributed to significant positive influences on households’ understanding and behaviours. While its impact on reducing child labour has been less direct compared to other remediation activities, awareness- raising creates the enabling environment in which other, more targeted remediation activities will have a greater impact as they are able to build on the systemic change in attitudes.
“I think to a very large extent the knowledge about child labour has been very beneficial. Both my wife and I have been part of the sensitization. We have also imparted knowledge about child labour to the children. So, when they find themselves on the farm without any of us present, they know what to do.” (Caregiver, Ghana)
6. Researchers noted that this perception is likely to be distorted by the fact that people are not as likely to remember this type of support as they would material support. In fact, when prompted or asked specifically about awareness-raising, most respondents confirmed they did in fact receive this, which might indicate it is in fact the most common activity.
Access to labour brigades Labour brigades or mutual aid groups (or ‘’weeding gangs’’ as they are known in some communities) are groups of trained professionals that rent out their services to cocoa farmers for specific tasks such as pruning, weeding or spraying. By subsidising the cost of hiring labour brigades, this remediation activity aims to reduce the need for child labourers on the farm. Farmers who accessed these services through the remediation programmes reported a significant reduction in labour demand, with 85% in Côte d’Ivoire and 60% in Ghana7 reporting that children were no longer engaged in child labour consequently. The costs of this support will vary across partner cooperatives and also depend on whether the labour is subsidised or paid for entirely. In addition, the availability and capacity of labour brigades may also differ between areas and partner cooperatives, as professionally trained brigades may not exist in certain areas. Finally, this support raises questions related to its sustainability as it currently relies on continued external support, including the funding and expertise required to set-up, equip, train, and pay the labour brigades. Income generating activities Income generating activities (IGA) are additional activities (besides their main cocoa crop) that allow farmers and their households to increase and diversify their income, particularly outside of the cocoa harvest seasons. Partner cooperatives currently support households to build their skills in a range of activities, including livestock rearing, agricultural crops, petty trading, artisanal work, beekeeping and others. However, these activities represent a modest contribution to income for most households that received this support: for 54%, this brought either no contribution or a low contribution (less than 25% of income). On the other hand, IGA did seem to have an impact on child labour, albeit more moderate than other remediation activities: • In Ghana, 55% of households reported a reduction in child labour • In Côte d’Ivoire, 64% that the impact of income-generating activities on child labour remains a success but is moderate.
“The financial support provided for income-generated activity has helped in addressing child labour in my household. This is because the activity has generated additional source of income which is used to finance the children’s education and take care of the family thereby reducing child labour.” (Caregiver, Ghana)
Vocational skills training Another remediation activity is the provision of vocational training, particularly targeting older children who may not be interested in returning to school, but would want to learn a trade. These trainings can help equip older children with marketable skills and alternative pathways to employment. When asking farmers in Côte d’Ivoire directly, many of them actually considered this to be the most effective remediation activity. However, this type of remediation is the costliest, highly dependent on both the training and market environment, and requires a holistic investment approach that extends beyond the provision of the training, as often there are additional material costs associated with the viability of the chosen trade as an alternative career path, and a need for post-training support and market integration. Despite these challenges, the potential long-term benefits of vocational skills training in terms of improved employability, increased earning potential, and reduced vulnerability to exploitation suggest it remains a worthwhile investment in the fight against child labour. While the high costs and challenges related to completion rates and post-training support need to be addressed, the success stories emerging from these programmes demonstrate the transformative impact that vocational training can have on individual lives, and particularly on older children. Primary schools are usually nearby, but secondary schools are fewer, costlier, and often require students to live away from home, so secondary attendance is low among farming families. By refining and strengthening their vocational training interventions, partner cooperatives can continue to empower young people and break the cycle of poverty and child labour in cocoa-growing areas.
7. This percentage applies to two cooperatives, as only 2% of households at the third participating cooperative in Ghana reported receiving this type of support.
3. Overall effectiveness of remediation Côte d’Ivoire
• 57% of cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire reported that their children stopped hazardous work completely after receiving a type of remediation, and 39% noted that the amount of work carried out was significantly reduced. • 78% of parents indicated that their working children attend school regularly following remediation. • 99% of cocoa farmers consider the remediation actions effective in reducing and eliminating child labour. Overall, they have a positive perception of and experience with the remediation support.
Fig. 4: % of cocoa farmers reporting their children stopped hazardous work following remediation activities (Côte d’Ivoire)
Completely stopped
Significantly reduced
Somewhat reduced
No change
Increased
57%
39%
4%
Ghana
• Similarly, in Ghana, the majority of respondents from the surveyed cooperatives reported that their children have either entirely stopped or significantly reduced the hazardous tasks they previously carried out. o At one cooperative 70% of respondents reported their children completely stopped engaging in hazardous tasks, while 44% at another reported this. o At the third cooperative, 63% reported a significant reduction. • Over 90% of households across all participating cooperatives confirmed that since receiving remediation support, their children attend school regularly • Between 61-71% reported that children now only assist with farm work on weekends/holidays.
These outcomes demonstrate that remediation efforts are not only reducing child labour but also promoting consistent school attendance, reinforcing their value as a transformative tool for children’s welfare and rights in cocoa-growing communities.
“The changes must be sustainable. We the parents must ensure it becomes sustainable. This is because the changes have benefited us greatly. Our efforts in making it sustainable after the interventions have been received must be encouraged. We are the ones that benefit from all these changes so we must ensure it is sustainable because our negligence can make it unsustainable”. (Caregiver, Ghana)
4. Lessons learned The study identified several recommendations from the researchers and the farmers interviewed that Tony’s Open Chain and its partner cooperatives could implement to further build on and improve the remediation support provided to children and families. These were incorporated in Tony’s Open Chain’s updated Child Labour Remediation Policy and the remediation protocols developed together with partner cooperatives, towards reflecting a multi-layered approach that includes:
• Stronger community engagement and awareness-raising systems • Prioritisation of cost-effective educational support • Standardisation and scaling of labour substitution services • Holistic design for vocational training and IGAs • Embedded monitoring and feedback loops for adaptive learning
More specifically, the following improvements were made based on the findings of this study.
1. Awareness raising is foundational but needs continuous reinforcement Awareness campaigns significantly influence attitudes and behaviours, creating an enabling environment for other interventions. However, recall bias and inconsistent delivery reduce perceived impact. Tony’s Open Chain’s revised remediation protocols now require awareness raising as a standard remediation intervention. In addition, community level awareness raising sessions and integration with sensitisation at schools and vocational training schools ensure repeated messaging and broader reach. 2. Material support to facilitate a return to primary education is cost-effective School kits and birth certificate assistance consistently deliver strong outcomes in reducing child labour and improving school attendance, at relatively low cost. Revised protocols prioritise school kit distribution as a core intervention and include a systematic process for birth certificate issuance, with partner cooperatives tracking and reporting completion rates. 3. Labour brigades reduce on-farm child labour but require standardisation Labour brigades are effective in reducing children’s exposure to hazardous tasks but lack uniform pricing and targeting, leading to inequitable access and sustainability concerns. To expand the reach and capacity of labour brigade support, new guidelines specify targeting criteria to prioritise vulnerable households for assistance. To improve the procedures and functioning of labour brigades, partner cooperatives are working with Tony’s Open Chain to introduce rate cards for services that clearly present all necessary information regarding costs, subventions and deadlines, and to further expand coverage of paid adult labour to their members. 4. Vocational training has high transformative potential but needs holistic support Older children benefit from vocational training, but success depends on post-training support, tools, and market linkages. Vocational training requires a comprehensive package (training + tools + placement support). Mentorship and partnerships with local businesses and government agencies (facilitating employment or entrepreneurship after training) are essential to ensure sustainability. 5. Income generating activities show moderate impact without market integration IGAs help diversify income but often remain small-scale and unsustainable without credit access and technical support. Tony’s Open Chain’s remediation protocols specify group-based ventures and capacity-building, which allow for shared costs and collective income. The remediation protocols also include the need for market assessments and linkages, focusing on sustainability and scalability to ensure long-term success. Partner cooperatives are tasked to provide ongoing technical assistance and link farmers to credit schemes.
Conclusion No single intervention can address all the complex factors contributing to child labour, such as poverty, lack of access to education, and limited awareness of children’s rights and need for attitudinal changes. Companies need to address the complex and persisting poverty and human rights issues that characterise the sector, including hazardous child labour. Paying cocoa prices that enable farmers to earn a living income is a primary step to eliminate these issues and toward creating a truly sustainable cocoa industry long-term.
Remediation serves to directly address the harm already caused by exploitative practices in the cocoa industry.
Awareness-raising must remain the foundation of remediation efforts because it changes attitudes, builds community support for children’s rights, and creates the conditions in which targeted interventions can succeed. Combined with material support such as school kits, bicycles and assistance in issuing birth certificates, it removes immediate barriers to schooling and boosts enrolment and attendance. Where available, labour brigades reduce on-farm demand for child labour, while vocational training and strengthened income-generating activities offer longer-term alternatives for older children and their families when paired with market-linked support. To achieve sustained reductions in child labour, programmes should integrate continuous awareness campaigns with accessible educational supports, scalable labour substitution, market-oriented skills training, and measures to improve household incomes. They should also be complemented by more wide-reaching investments in community development and infrastructure to create environments that support children’s well-being and reduce the root causes of child labour. Only a coordinated, multi-faceted approach will secure lasting access to education and protect the wellbeing of children in cocoa-growing communities. Acknowledgements This study was written by Tony’s Open Chain, based on findings from studies carried out by Inputs Africa (Côte d’Ivoire), and Participatory Development Associates (Ghana).
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